Shrimant Maharaja Sir Khanderao II Gaekwad, Sena Khas Khel Shamsher Bahadur belonged to the Gaekwad Dynasty that ruled Baroda between the early 18th century and mid-20th century. Maharaja Khanderao’s reign lasted for a period of 14 years from the time he ascended the throne (1856) at the demise of his predecessor and brother Maharaja Ganpatrao Gaekwad until his (Maharaja Khanderao’s) death in 1870. He was considered one of the most illustrious connoisseurs and collectors of jewels during the 19th century and has made a rather sizeable contribution to (what were considered a part of) the Crown Jewels of Baroda (before they were sold or auctioned off much later for various reasons).

In the 1960s Maharaja Khanderao made a decision to offer an exquisite carpet made of precious material and studded with gemstones as a gift to the Shrine of the Holy Prophet in Medina. It is said he planned to have four such carpets made and these were to cover the Holy Prophet’s grave, much like the ones covering the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal in Agra.

(Details of the Embroidery on the Baroda Pearl Carpet; image courtesy of Oddity Central)

This extravagant carpet is approximately 5ft. 8in. by 8ft. 8in. in dimension. It is covered with an elaborate floral motif embroidered design that consists of three large yet beautiful diamond filled rosettes and 32 smaller rosettes. An approximated 2.2 million pearls and beads have been used in this densely embroidered carpet. The smaller gems that cover the embroidered area are natural Basra pearls and beads on a foundation of silk and fine deer hide.

The total estimated weight of the Basra pearls is about 30,000 carats. The gemstones worked into the embroidery consists of approximately 2,500 table cut and rose cut diamonds, approximately 350-400 carats. These jewels are all set in silver topped gold or possibly blackened gold; the floral motifs have foil backed rubies, emeralds and sapphires stones.

Maharaja Khanderao went about commissioning this carpet by 1965 and it is said to have taken a long time in the making. Unfortunately, the Maharaja passed away before it could be delivered. His successors chose to keep the carpet and add it to the collection of crown jewels in the possession of the Gaekwads of Baroda instead of adhering to the late Maharaja’s wishes of sending it to Medina.

(The carpet on display at the Ritz-Carlton in Doha, Qatar; image by Karim Jaafar, Getty Images)

The carpet was exhibited in the Lakshmi Vilas Palace of Baroda after which it was photographed and written about in 1908 in a publication by George Frederick Kunz called The Book of the Pearls. It is said to have been recovered from the Sita Devi collection in a vault in Geneva during the 1980s. There were rumours of it having being sold to an Arab Prince after that for a cool $31 million.

The Baroda Pearl Carpet was eventually sold for $5.5 million at an auction by Sotheby’s in Doha, Qatar. The extravagant carpet was auctioned off in 2009 to an anonymous bidder on the telephone, setting a new record for a carpet sold at an auction.

Experts explained that the cost of emeralds were much higher in India than in Europe. These gems were rare and came from Columbia by way of Spanish traders in the 1550s. Columbian emeralds were regarded the finest in the world and were to be found around Muzo and Chivor, Colombia.

Legend has it; the Chalk Emerald was once the centre of attraction fitted onto a diamond and emerald necklace owned by a Maharani of the former princely state of Baroda, which was ruled by the Gaekwads between the early 18th century and mid-20th century; when India got her independence.

The precious stone has a distinctive Columbian green hue and previously weighed 38.4 carats. Then it found its way into the possession of American jeweller, Harry Winston, who designed a gold ring specifically for this Columbian emerald. Mr. Winston had the stone recut to 37.82 carats and set in platinum and gold. The emerald stone is surrounded by pear shaped diamonds that are a dazzling 60 in number and weigh 15 carats in all.

This ring was then bought by Mr. Oscar Roy Chalk; a rich New York entrepreneur, as a gift for his wife Mrs. Claire Chalk after whom the ring is named the Chalk Emerald Ring.

(New York entrepreneur Oscar Roy Chalk on the right; image courtesy of Flickr)

In 1972 the couple donated the Chalk Emerald Ring to the Smithsonian. To this day the ring is on display as a part of the National Gem and Mineral Collection at the National Museum of Natural History in America; which belongs to the Smithsonian Institution’s group of museums.

(The young Sayajirao a.k.a. Princie and his mother Maharani Sita Devi; image courtesy of News East West)

Maharani Sita Devi is famously known as India’s Wallis Simpson; because the decisions she made in her life were similar to that of her namesake. She met the Maharaja Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad of Baroda at the Madras Race Course; after which she converted to Islam to procure a divorce from her then husband. Sita Devi converted back to Hinduism once she procured the divorce and then married Maharaja Pratapsinhrao. She had one son with the Maharaja, his name was Sayajirao Pratapsinh Gaekwad but was fondly known as “Princie”. He was the apple of her eye and about 3 years old when she first jetted off to Paris with him. Princie was her only child with the Gaekwad and was also her constant companion to social events, especially in Europe.

Van Cleef & Arpels were the Maharani’s favourite jewellers. They purchased the famous 34.65 carat diamond from the jewel collection of the Nizams of Hyderabad in 1960; it is one of the largest pink diamonds to have ever been discovered. The jewellers threw an elaborate do to celebrate this acquisition and the maharani and her young son Princie; all of 14 years, were invited to be guests of honour. This is where the gorgeous pink beauty was christened the Princie Diamond after the young Sayajirao.

(The pink diamond named Princie after the young Sayajirao; image courtesy of News East West)

The young prince grew to be tall and dark and handsome, he inherited his mother’s flair for flashing the priceless family jewels thus leading an extravagant life-style. Sayajirao frequented the classiest joints. His immaculate French accent and dashing good looks were so familiar that he was fondly known as “Princie” to them all.

(Princie and the Maharani, Sita Devi; image courtesy of News East West)

The diamond was recovered from the ancient and famous Golconda mines in Andhra Pradesh (which happens to be the birthplace of the Maharani Sita Devi), South Central India. The extraordinary pink diamond set a new record high at Christie’s New York in April 2013, when it was auctioned off for $39,323,750(almost $40 Million) to an anonymous collector bidding by phone. The price is said to have set a brand new record for a gem auctioned at Christie’s.

The Lotus Necklace, also known as the Hindu Necklace, is a rather renowned piece of jewellery that was especially crafted for Maharani Sita Devi, second wife of Maharaja Pratapsinh Rao, the 11th Gaekwad; ruler of Baroda. This gorgeous emerald necklace was created by Jacques Arpels of the Van Cleef & Arpels French jewellery company in 1950. The jewels that constitute the necklace include Columbian cabochon emerald drops; 13 in number and they weighed around 150 carats. These emeralds are suspended from a platinum panel studded with pavé diamonds (small diamonds set closely together with barely visible tiny metal prongs holding the stones in place; the resultant effect being that of uninterrupted sparkle) and emeralds in a lotus leaf design with a lotus flower at the centre.

A pair of earrings with five pendants each that are polished octagonal shaped dangling emeralds are also a part of the set. At the centre of the earring hoop which is made of diamonds and emeralds again is a single 20 carat diamond briolette (an elongated pear-shaped faceted gemstone which is often drilled to hang as a bead).

The gemstones in the necklace had previously belonged to the Baroda Crown Jewels. They were in the possession of the Maharani. The Lotus Necklace and the accompanying pair of emerald and diamond earrings were later auctioned off in 2002 by Christie’s to a private collector for a sum of $1.6 million.

What was once a ceremonial collar necklace, with the passage of time and change of ownership, turned into anklets and eventually ended up coming full circle as a choker necklace. The ceremonial necklace was initially intended for use by the Maharajas of Baroda. Maharaja Khanderao (the 8th Gaekwad of Baroda) and Maharaja Malhar Rao (the 9th Gaekwad of Baroda) have both been pictured wearing the ceremonial necklace. The Baroda Diamond Necklace was a collar necklace that was studded with rose-cut diamonds and cabochon (stones that are cut with highly polished, rounded or convex tops with no faceting and flat or slightly domed bases) emeralds.

Rumour has it; this ceremonial necklace was taken apart in the 1940s to restructure new pieces of jewellery for Maharani Sita Devi, the second wife of Maharaja Pratapsinh Gaekwad. The Maharani was known as India’s Wallis Simpson because she too, left her husband for the Maharaja. Wallis Simpson was an American socialite (also a two time divorcée) that fell in mutual love with King Edward VIII, who abdicated his throne to marry her. Apparently the new Maharani had anklets made out of those gems (from the Baroda Diamond Necklace).

(The diamond and emerald choker for the Duchess of Windsor restructured from Sita Devi’s anklets by Harry Winston; image courtesy of History of Vadodara)

When the 50s rolled in, the Maharani sold the aforementioned pair of emerald and diamond anklets to Harry Winston; a jeweller from New York. Mr. Winston had the gems fitted into a necklace featuring 52 pear-shaped cabochon emeralds weighing 670 carats. This necklace made from reconstituted diamonds and emeralds found their way into the possession of Wallis Simpson, the then Duchess of Windsor. The Duchess wore the said jewellery to a Paris ball, where Sita Devi was also a guest. It is said that the Maharani casually remarked on the beauty of the necklace, while snidely adding something to the effect of, ‘those emeralds used to be my anklets’. The Duchess of Windsor was said to have taken offence at the remark; she returned the diamond choker to her jeweller.

(Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor; image courtesy of Marie Claire)

That was the last that was known of the Baroda Diamond Necklace; rather, the restructured jewels.

The Moon of Baroda is a diamond that has been in the possession of the Gaekwads; the royal family of Baroda, which is where this gem was discovered, for about 500 years,. The diamond, when found in the rough was 25.95 carats. A canary yellow shade in colour, it was later cut into a 24.04 carats diamond in the shape of a pear.

The diamond travelled quite a bit and passed through the hands of some rather renowned individuals. It was sent to the Empress Maria Theresa (who was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions/Austrian part of the Holy Royal Empire) by the Gaekwads. However there isn’t any photographic evidence or any visual proof in her portraits, of her ever having worn the necklace. However there are speculations that the necklace may have been worn by one of her youngest daughters, Marie-Antoinette, wife of Louis XVI.

Marie-Antoinette was guillotined in 1793; incidentally the myth associated with the necklace is that it brings bad luck to its wearer if it is taken overseas.

Upon its return to Baroda, the Maharaja had the diamond set into a necklace sometime in 1860. The 1920s saw the diamond necklace sold off by the Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad to an unknown buyer. Meyer Rosenbaum of Detroit (who was President of the Meyer Jewelry Company) then purchased the diamond in 1943.

(Marilyn Monroe in a still from the song Diamond’s are a Girl’s Best Friend; image courtesy of Pinterest)

Come 1953, Marilyn Monroe takes over the silver screen with her performance in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, where she sings the now famous song “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” While promoting the film, Marilyn sported the Moon of Baroda during a shoot which only helped propel the beautiful stone to heightened fame.

(Marilyn Monroe wearing the Moon of Baroda during the promotional shoot for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; images courtesy of Pinterest)

The Moon of Baroda was publicly exhibited in 1944. After which it was out of sight until 2008, when it was put on display at the Diamond Divas exhibition organised by Antwerp World Diamond Centre. In 2012, a Japanese television show claimed they had the Moon of Baroda, where it was authenticated by an expert as the diamond in question and was then appraised for $1.9 million.

It was later sold to a private collector by Christie’s and hasn’t resurfaced in the public eye since.

(Maharani Sita Devi is seen adjusting the clasp of the Baroda Pearl necklace, worn by Maharaja Pratapsinh Rao; image courtesy of Pinterest.)

The Baroda Pearl Necklace is a renowned piece of jewellery from those counted among the Gaekwad’s Jewels. It was commissioned by the Maharaja Khande Rao Gaekwad (the 10th ruler of Baroda)

The pearls made their way to the jeweller from the Gulf region (Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Munnar and the Red Sea). Those underwater beauties were white in colour, some were spherical in shape and some were almost-spherical and were close to perfection in terms of appearance, i.e.; blemishes weren’t visible to the naked eye. There were approximately 300-350 pearls in number, of matching quality, colour, size and shape strung together on seven separate strands; forming an extraordinary lustrous necklace of a rich calibre.

There was a book published in 1908 by a gentleman called George Frederick Kunz, called the Book of the Pearl. There was a photograph of Maharaja Sayaji Rao III (the 12th ruler of Baroda) wearing the seven strand pearl necklace in the book; that is how the piece came to be internationally renowned as the Baroda Pearl Necklace. Another photograph starring Maharaja Pratapsinh Rao (the 13th ruler of Baroda) wearing the pearls, taken by Henri Cartier Bresson brought the necklace, once more, into the spotlight internationally.

Apparently a lot of the royal jewels were moved to Monaco, shortly before India received her independence, where Maharaja Pratapsinh Rao had a place of residence. Upon order by the Indian Government, the Maharaja had to return the jewels to Indian shores. On arrival, however, the seven strand necklace was reduced to six strands of pearls. Among other crown jewels, this necklace was then kept at Lakshmi Vilas Palace, the Baroda residence of the Gaekwads.

In 2007, at an auction by Christie’s in New York, a two stranded pearl necklace was presented which was believed to have been fashioned out of the seventh strand that was missing from the Baroda Pearl Necklace, the clasp is a cushion-cut diamond by Cartier.This particular piece of jewellery was auctioned off for a price (highest ever where pearls were considered) of $7.1 million, setting a world record.

The restructured two-stranded Baroda Pearl Necklace appeared to have the finest of the pearls from the original necklace set in a perfect design which made it one of the most consummate pearl necklaces in the world.

The story of The Star of the South begins in the mines of Estrela du sol (a municipality in Brazil which is also a name by which the stone is known) where it was discovered by a woman who was a slave to the miner.

(Star of the South; image courtesy of Pinterest)

This find was rewarded with freedom and an income that was apparently enough to last her a lifetime. This diamond in the rough (uncut) passed through a few hands that didn’t quite recognize it for its actual worth; until it was in the possession of Costers of Amsterdam and was cut to a 128.48-carat stone in the shape of a cushion; which also means that it lost more than half of its original weight. The stone was graded as VS-2 in clarity and is also famous for its faint pinkish-brown hue.

The diamond then made its way into the hands of Halphen & Associates where it was actually christened Star of the South. They displayed it in London and Paris over a period of years which led to its increased fame.

Eventually the Diamond was bought by Malhar Rao Gaekwad; the then ruler of Baroda, for a price that was around £80,000.

(Maharani Sita Devi in the diamond necklace that had the English Dresden and the Star of the South; image courtesy of Pinterest)

Malhar Rao Gaekwad acquired another famed diamond called the English Dresden Diamond. He had both; the English Dresden and its sister stone – The Star of the South, set in a breath-taking beautiful diamond necklace. Maharani Sita Devi Sahib is seen wearing the gorgeous diamond necklace in a photograph taken on her husband’s birthday in 1948.

(The Diamond Necklace; image courtesy of Pinterest)

The necklace was purchased by Cartier (a French luxury goods conglomerate company) from Rustomjee Jamsetjee (Baronet) of Mumbai in 2002; which is when it was last seen on Indian shores.